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e.g. Sandstone or 50GY 43/120

Help choosing your colour

Hints and tips for choosing your exterior paint colours

Always look at colour brochures in outside daylight.

Look at your house; look at your neighbours' houses. What colours will blend in to the area?

Bear in mind the existing colours of your home that you cannot change, like the colour of the roof, slates or tiles. Is there any stone or brick cladding? Consider the colour of the drive - it could be cobble lock or tar or you could be in a built up area or a rural green area. All of these have a bearing on your colour scheme.

Use colour to create individuality. This is especially important in large estates of houses. Try to balance with your neighbour's house and don't copy it unless they are intended to be the same.

Generally colours look lighter outside that the samples look in the store or your home. Exercise caution when working with yellows, as they usually appear brighter.

Mouse Painter has a selection of exteriors to choose from, then with a click of your mouse you can paint from your desk. This will give you plenty of options in a free and fun way.

Painting the outside of your house is neither cheap nor easy. Avoid mistakes in colours by using sampler pots. Look at the colours when paint is dry and in full sunshine and in dull light.

Start by focusing on three or four colours:

General or masonry colour.

Trim colour (window reveals, coin stones, etc).

Plinth and sills colour (usually deep colour for practical purposes).

Front door colour.

If your windows are white or cream, paint the door frames in white or cream too, and only paint the doors in the chosen colour.

When choosing colours, it's important to understand that shades will also affect the appearance of your home. Light and muted shades will make your house seem larger, whereas darker tones will make your home seem smaller. Dark shades on trim, however, provide a pleasant contrast and draw attention to detail. Painting the window reveals in the same colour of the windows will give the impression that your windows are bigger.

Our full Weathershield exterior paint colour range includes muted shades, which are very well suited to our grey Irish light. While they might not look the most attractive in interior light, they will look great outside.

While it may seem strange at first, you want your houses outside to match and harmonise with the inside. By doing this, you give your home a more welcoming, warm feeling. Your interior paint and the colour of your furnishings should always play a role in the decision-making regarding the exterior of your home, just as your exterior should have a degree of influence over the inside.

Finally, have fun with choosing your colours, but be sure that your colours complement one another and that they are not too busy or distracting. When in doubt, consult some of the suggestions for combinations that Dulux have devised for you.